By Laurie O’Neill — Laurie@concordbridge.org
If you build it, they will come.
The “it” is the addition — the Keyes Art Barn — for which Concord Art will break ground in December. The “they” are the art creators and enthusiasts who will flock to the new structure at the historic former John Ball House on Lexington Road, Concord Art’s home since 1923.
The Art Barn will be named for the family that has been associated with the organization since its founding a century ago. Grace Keyes, Alicia Keyes, and George S. Keyes were on Concord Art’s original Board of Directors, led by Daniel Chester French. The Keyeses “are a significant part of our origin story,” says Executive Director Kate James.
The 2,400-square-foot addition will house the existing Loring Coleman Room, which is used as a classroom and art studio, and add space for exhibits, storage, and events. Coleman was a notable en plein air painter of New England landscapes who moved to Concord when he was 13.
Keyes family matching gift
Concord Art has been raising money through its Centennial Campaign for the project and for improvements to the existing building, to date reaching three-quarters of its $2 million goal. Some 17 members of the Keyes family, most living outside of Concord, have offered to match every gift the art center receives before Thanksgiving.
The matching gift challenge and the naming of the Art Barn, James adds, “bring the relationship between Concord Art and the Keyes family full circle. We couldn’t feel more blessed.”
Concord Art has 800 students taking classes each year and more than 1,000 members, she says. “We are truly a community center for artists.”
The Keyes Art Barn “will help provide a framework for artists to succeed. We’ll be able to offer more classes, shows, and opportunities for artists to see each other’s work,” she says.
Sig Roos, co-chair of the Campaign Committee, says the addition will “be a way to produce more income” for Concord Art and keep it sustainable.
Grants from the Town of Concord Community Preservation Fund and the Massachusetts Cultural Council also support Concord Art’s repairs and improvements to the property.
KEYES-ART-BARN-4.-Architects-rendering-of-the-Keyes-Art-BarnTours, talks, and workshops
One of the oldest arts organizations in the country, Concord Art also offers professional development workshops, on-site art demonstrations, curator tours, and artist talks, as well as serving as an event venue, James says. Its current faculty art show, a triennial event, features 42 artists and runs through December 19.
Jonathan (Jay) Keyes and his wife, the late Judy Keyes, were beloved members of the Board of Directors, says James. Recently their son, Jared Keyes, who grew up in Concord, reached out to some 17 family members — “All of those I could find, as some never lived in Concord” — to organize the family’s matching gift challenge.
Jay Keyes was named an Honored Concord Citizen in 2020. He continues to reside in the 1867 farmhouse where he has lived since 1960. Judy Keyes was also involved with the Concord Museum and was associated with the Museum of Fine Arts for 25 years. Among other activities, she was an MFA gallery instructor, providing art education to students in Boston’s schools.
Blending ‘historic and contemporary’
The Keyes were motivated to help with the campaign, Jared says, by their belief that “the spirit of education runs deep in Concord.”
While “rummaging” in the family barn on Liberty Street, Jared Keyes discovered a 100+-year-old sign painted by Elizabeth Wentworth Roberts and hung in Concord to advertise an art show. He had it restored, and it will be used in the future Keyes Art Barn.
Roberts, whom her friends called Elsie, formed the Concord Art Association in 1917 to exhibit work by local, regional, and well-known artists of her day to promote community interest in contemporary art.
The Art Barn will “blend the historic and contemporary,” says Holly Harrison, co-president of Concord Art’s Board of Directors. It will “be a way to honor the past and look to the future.”
The gray exterior will complement the c. 1752 house, and the interior will be flooded with natural light from north-facing windows, “which is ideal for artists,” adds Stanly Black, chair of the organization’s Building Committee.
Those who would like to participate in the matching gift campaign can visit Concord Art’s website, James says. She invites people to “come in for a tour and see what we are up to.”
The Keyes Art Barn is to open in 2025.
